Shockwave an Emerging Technology for Improving Processed Foods Quality: Mini Overview

Shockwave technology is defined as an underwater hydrodynamic pressure, carried out by use of mechanical
pressure pulses of water placed in a large tank. The first system used in the 1990s was generated by explosives, or by
discharging electrical currents, as a second system underwater. The generated waves are transmitted through water
and media in an acoustic match with water. A mechanical stress occurs, causing disruption and tearing of materials,
exposed to the transmitted waves, according to their different properties. This new disruptive technology completely
changes the way things are done. It is used in food applications to disintegrate tissue, modify the structure of biological
materials, enhance extraction of plants bioactive substances, structure modification of grains, improve milling yield,
shucking oysters, and improve meat tenderization and shelf-life .Another application is for easy drying to avoid fracture
of the biological tissue/This technique also has an impact on food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms
in food, where, it is more effective when combined with other hurdles. The use of shockwave as a pretreatment process
was also investigated to increase the yield and nutritional value of the extracted juice and oil via softening of plant tissues.
Shockwaves propagate in plant media generate multiple cracks by underwater shockwaves, which act as permeation
pathways, increasing the extraction ratio of essential oils in steam distillation processes. Underwater shockwaves
instantly cause high pressure, splitting and open cell structures and accordingly instantly generate multiple cracks on
the cell wall. Shockwave pretreatment liquefies vegetable material immediately and destroys cell structures. Some
constraints are facing the application of shockwaves on a commercial scale in the food industry. Yet, shock waves may
become tomorrow’s processing technology for producing novel great tasting foods and other products while maintaining
many natural characteristics of the products.